Method of covering a flower pot with a sleeve

Abstract

A sleeve used to wrap items such as potted plants. The sleeve may have an open or closed bottom. When closed, the bottom may have a gusset for allowing expansion upon the depositing of the pot into the sleeve. The sleeve has a detachable upper portion. The sleeve has a bonding material disposed upon an inner and/or outer portion of the sleeve for crimping the sleeve adjacent the pot to hold the sleeve about the pot.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of packaging a potted plant, comprising: providing a flexible sleeve, the flexible sleeve having a lower end, an upper end, an outer peripheral surface, and an inner peripheral surface surrounding an inner retaining space for enclosing a pot and an adhesive or cohesive bonding material disposed upon a portion of at least one of the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface of the lower portion of the sleeve;   disposing a pot containing a floral grouping into the inner retaining space of the flexible sleeve wherein the flexible sleeve is positioned adjacent an outer peripheral surface of the pot; and   forming folds in the portion of the sleeve having the bonding material thereby forming in the sleeve a crimped portion having overlapping connected folds and wherein the crimped portion is formed such that the sleeve is substantially free from being bondingly connected to the outer peripheral surface of the pot by the bonding material.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing the flexible sleeve, the flexible sleeve comprises a flattened body comprising: a first side having a first edge, a second edge, an upper edge, a lower edge, an outer surface and an inner surface;   a second side having a first edge, a second edge, an upper edge, a lower edge, an outer surface and an inner surface;   and wherein in a flattened condition of the sleeve, the inner surface of the first side rests flatwise upon the inner surface of the second side and the first edge of the first side is sealed to the first edge of the second side and the second edge of the first side is sealed to the second edge of the second side.   
     
     
       3. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing the flexible sleeve, the flexible sleeve further comprises a release material disposed on the bonding material which is removed from the sleeve prior to forming a crimped portion in the sleeve. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing the sleeve the bonding material is a cohesive material disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing the sleeve the bonding material is a cohesive or adhesive material disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing a flexible sleeve, the flexible sleeve further comprises: a lower portion having the inner retaining space, and   an upper portion connected to the lower portion and sized to substantially surround and encompass the floral grouping, the upper portion detachable from the lower portion via detaching means, and wherein when the pot is disposed within the inner retaining space the lower portion of the flexible sleeve is positioned adjacent the outer peripheral surface of the pot and the upper portion of the sleeve extends upwardly from the pot, said upper portion substantially surrounding and encompassing the floral grouping.   
     
     
       7. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing the flexible sleeve the sleeve has a cylindrical shape. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing the flexible sleeve the sleeve has a shape which is tapered from the upper end to the lower end. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing the flexible sleeve the portion of the sleeve surrounding the pot is oversized in comparison to the size of the pot to be disposed therein. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim 1 wherein in the step of providing the flexible sleeve, the lower end of the sleeve is closed. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 10 wherein in the step of providing the flexible sleeve the closed lower end comprises a gusset. 
     
     
       12. A method of packaging a potted plant, comprising: providing a flexible sleeve, the flexible sleeve having a lower end, an upper end, an outer peripheral surface, and an inner peripheral surface surrounding an inner retaining space for enclosing a pot and an adhesive or cohesive bonding material disposed upon a portion of at least one of the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface of the lower portion of the sleeve;   disposing a pot containing a floral grouping into the inner retaining space of the flexible sleeve wherein the flexible sleeve is positioned adjacent an outer peripheral surface of the pot; and   forming folds in the portion of the sleeve having the bonding material thereby forming in the sleeve a crimped portion having overlapping connected folds.   
     
     
       13. A method of packaging a potted plant, comprising: providing a flexible sleeve, the flexible sleeve having a lower end having a gusset therein, an upper end, an outer peripheral surface, and an inner peripheral surface surrounding an inner retaining space for enclosing a pot and an adhesive or cohesive bonding material disposed upon a portion of at least one of the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface of the lower portion of the sleeve;   disposing a pot containing a floral grouping into the inner retaining space of the flexible sleeve wherein the flexible sleeve is positioned adjacent an outer peripheral surface of the pot; and   forming folds in the portion of the sleeve having the bonding material thereby forming in the sleeve a crimped portion having overlapping connected folds.